It's that time of year again! Tết, the most important Vietnamese holiday marks the arrival of spring in Vietnam based on the lunar calendar.

The holiday is marked by festivals, family time and food.

Vietnamese people usually return to their families during Tết for reunions and ancestor worship .In the days leading up to the new year the Vietnamese are busy preparing their homes, wardrobe, menus and more for the upcoming festivities. People often try to pay off their debts and return all things borrowed before Tet in order to start the new year fresh.

In a tradition similar to American Christmas, families decorate their homes with artificial bamboo trees and flowers in honor of Tet.

On Tet, children dress in their new clothes and receive a red envelope containing money from their elders.

The Vietnamese believe that the first visitor a family receives in the new year will determine their fortune for the entire year, so people only go to visit other homes on Tet with a special invitation, and the first person to enter a Vietnamese home on Tet does so with lots of important rituals to bring good luck and blessings to the home.

During subsequent days of the Tet celebration, people visit relatives, friends and teachers who are held with lots of respect. People give gifts that symbolize good luck.

People also visit Buddhist temples and enjoy public performances, especially the dragon dancers.

Popular foods during Tet include sticky rice, roasted watermelon seeds, dried candied fruits, pickled onions, cabbages and leaks and more.

An khang thịnh vượng (Security, good health, and prosperity)